Pennsylvania murder tied to online cult, police say

A Pennsylvania man allegedly murdered by his girlfriend on Saturday may have asked her to kill him to escape a cult that warned about alien invasions and the end of days, investigators revealed.

Barbara Rogers, 42, has been charged with criminal homicide and is being held without bail after calling 911 to report the death of her boyfriend, 32-year-old Steven Mineo. Rogers was suspected of firing the fatal shot into his forehead at close-range in their Coolbaugh Township apartment at his request, according to Monroe County police.

“She identified that the deceased was having online issues with a cult and he wanted to be killed and he requested she do it,” Lt. Steven Williams with Pocono Mountain Regional Police said. “Apparently they belong to a cult. He was upset with the cult, felt he was being harassed, and he was frustrated. And he asked his girlfriend to kill him. And she did.”

The online organization includes literature pertaining to “new-age alien agenda” and accents apocalyptic biblical themes from the Book of Revelation, Williams said.

Furthermore, Mineo was said to have informed friends in a Facebook post on Thursday that he was watching “Resident Evil: Vendetta,” and that “these apocalyptic movies (always) give you a glimpse of what’s coming.”

Police found a .45 caliber semi-automatic Glock next to Mineo’s body at the crime scene, as well as another handgun, rifle and used casings both inside and outside the apartment. It was not immediately clear which weapon was used in the apparent murder.